Week Four: The Home Stretch! π
First of all, as always with these weekly updates, a HUGE thank you! β€οΈ
We continue to be absolutely blown away by the support we've received so far. Thanks to your generosity, we're edging ever closer to our all-time fundraising goal of $10,000! π€π
Let's give it one final push this week and see how close we can get!
Every donation, no matter the size, helps support children and families facing challenges far greater than sore legs, strong winds, gout, and flat tyres. So let's keep the wheels turning and the donations rolling! π΄ββοΈπ¨
We are now in the home stretch of our 6th Great Cycle Challenge journey. With just 6 days remaining, we still have 85km to ride to reach our goal of 350km.
That's a whopping 15km per day! π
β€οΈ A Reflection from Us
Lach and I have spent a lot of time reflecting on how challenging this year has been when it comes to finding time to ride. Between parenting duties, busy schedules, and limited support, fitting cycling into our days has not been easy.
In a way, it has made us even prouder of what we've managed to achieve and the funds we've raised for such an important cause. As difficult as it can be to squeeze rides into already packed days, we're incredibly grateful that we're able to do it and, most importantly, that our children are healthy.
That perspective keeps us pedalling.
π΄ββοΈ Lunchtime with Lach
Lachy has really embraced the idea of lunchtime rides to squeeze in as many kilometres as possible.
Despite battling gout, rocking the lycra, and enduring the occasional cycling-glasses fashion critique, he continues to push through questionable looks and middle-aged health issues for the cause. π
The commitment is admirable. The lycra is... debatable.
π΄ββοΈ The Misadventures of Storm
At this point, I really should have known this was coming because it seems to happen every single year.
Feeling motivated to smash out a ride, I got about 1km down the road before my bike started making strange noises. I called Lach and headed home, where we discovered we'd forgotten the tyres were a little flat from the previous ride. No problem. Tyres pumped, confidence restored, off I went.
Determined to be adventurous, I decided to ride somewhere completely new, tackling roads and heading towards a cafΓ© I'd heard good things about.
About three-quarters of the way there, my body and mind started questioning every life decision that had led me to this moment.
Why is this so hard?!
Is it the wind?
Is it the heat? (Nearly 30Β°C!)
Is it the hundreds of flies?
Am I just incredibly unfit?
Despite my growing concerns, I kept going, abandoning my podcast in favour of dramatic motivational workout music.
Eventually, I reached the cafΓ© completely defeated and wondering how things had gone so disastrously wrong. The lovely staff took one look at me and kindly gave me water and a muffin on the house. I must have looked like a drowned rat that had somehow wandered in from the desert. ππ
Convinced there was absolutely no way I was making it home, I called the rescue team (Lach).
As he loaded my bike up, he casually said:
"Hmm... your front tyre's flat."
WHAT?!
After pumping it up before leaving, there had apparently been a hole the entire time, and it had slowly gone flat again during the ride.
The strange mix of relief and annoyance was overwhelming.
Maybe it wasn't me after all.
Maybe I wasn't dramatically unfit.
Maybe I'd simply been struck once again by the annual curse...
π² The Flat Tyre of Storm Curseβ’οΈοΈ
π΅ What's Keeping Us Pedalling This Week?
π΄ Lachy: π§ RTG, Cyberpund soundtrack and JID
π΄ββοΈ Storm: π§ Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone and Mamma Mia Soundtrack
π Thank You
Thank you again for every donation, kind message, and word of encouragement.
If you'd like to support us and help kids fighting cancer, we'd be incredibly grateful for any contribution, big or small.
π΄ββοΈπ¨ Let's finish strong! πππ
π Week Three: The Post-Birthday Celebration Struggles
First of all, as always with these weekly updates, a HUGE thank you! β€οΈ
We continue to be absolutely blown away by the support we've received so far. Thanks to your generosity, we've raised $1,353 this year and an incredible $8,168 over the past six years!
That's a huge achievement, but we're not done yet. Can we push a little closer to that all-time goal of $10,000? π€π
Every donation, no matter the size, helps support children and families facing challenges far bigger than sore legs, strong winds, post-birthday blues, and a complete lack of motivation. So let's keep the wheels turning and the donations rolling! π΄ββοΈπ¨
π° The Post-Birthday Slump
Every year we face the same challenge: getting back on the bike after celebrating both my birthday and Billie's birthday.
Let's be honest... it's pretty hard riding a bike after spending a week enthusiastically stuffing your face with birthday cake and lollies. ππ
But alas, the kilometres don't ride themselves, so back on the bike we go!
The Return
After a week of birthday celebrations and questionable nutritional choices, I somehow convinced myself that I was still capable of riding long distances.
In fact, I decided I would prove to Lachlan that I could keep up with his cycling distances.
...
Needless to say, the mind is a powerful convincer of utter delusion. π
Did I complete one of my longest rides? β Yes.
Did I make it home? β Also yes.
Did I make it home on my bike? β Absolutely not.
Just like Lachlan the week before, I eventually found myself making the dreaded rescue call:
"I won't be making it home, and I'm going to need a lovely rescue."
Thankfully I at least had a pretty nice view while waiting for my support crew to arrive. π
Meanwhile... Lachlan
Lachlan decided to take the path of complete smugness this week.
Not only did he ride the exact route that defeated me, he then rode all the way back home as well.
Was I slightly petty about this achievement? Yes.
Was I also incredibly impressed and grateful? Also yes... but please don't tell him that.
To make things even more ridiculous, he managed all of this while dealing with gout in his foot.
What even is gout? Is this what old age looks like? π
π΄ββοΈ Welcome Cyclist Ellis!
As the week came to an end, we recruited a very enthusiastic new cyclist...
Welcome to the team, Ellis! ππ΄ββοΈ
As she powered through the park and around the streets, I couldn't help but admire her determination to be part of the challenge.
I'll admit there may have been a proud tear while watching her ride around at roughly the same speed I've managed over the last few rides. π
And yes, before anyone asks...
I will absolutely be counting her kilometres.
π Challenge Progress
Kilometres Ridden
π΄ββοΈ Ellis: 400m
π΄ Storm: 66km
π΄ Lachlan: 179km
π΅ What's Keeping Us Pedalling This Week?
π΄ Lachy: π§Voidborne terrors (podcast)
π΄ββοΈ Storm: π§ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (narrated by Stephen Fry)
π΄ββοΈ Ellis: Mum and Dad's encouragement (plus a little race against Jocky the dog πΆ)
π Thank you again for every donation.
We've got just under two weeks to go, plenty more kilometres to ride, and hopefully a few more donations to help us get closer to that magical $10,000 all-time fundraising milestone!
If you'd like to support us and help kids fighting cancer, we'd be incredibly grateful for any contribution, big or small.
π΄ββοΈπ¨ Let's finish strong! πππ